Back to School

Help Them Find Their Own Method I have learned from my own experience that what works for me and works for my son and works for my husband doesn’t work for my daughter. If your method of organization isn’t working for your student, help her brainstorm a different method that will work for her. If…

Teach Project Management Planners are essential for managing large school projects and papers. I suggest students subtract two days from the project’s due date for each week they have to work on it. (For a three-week assignment, for example, subtract six days and consider the new date as the due date.) This gives the student…

Teach Time Management It is a rare middle school student who can gauge how much time an assignment will take. Suggest your student use a timer to develop the skill. If they time themselves reading a fifteen-page chapter, for example, they’ll have a good idea how long to allocate when they have to read thirty…

Use Tools Wisely Photo from Order Out of Chaos Most middle school students use binders and planners, but many don’t use them effectively. Help them to choose a binder with several pockets, then designate the pockets as follows: one for each subject, to hold all completed assignments the teacher has returned one for all…

Make Homework Routine You can help by making sure your student has a suitable space to work without distractions and with homework supplies nearby. Find a place that’s comfortable but not so comfortable he’ll fall asleep. Create a routine of setting aside a specific time for doing homework, not just “sometime tonight.” Have a really…

Parents Stay Involved While middle school is a time of burgeoning independence, parents need to stay involved, at least until their student shows he can manage his own workload. Help your student by creating a routine and habit of the parent checking in with their child each day to review their homework and their projects.…

I took the month of August off, but now I’m gearing up to send my kids back to school next week. I’m devoting the month of September blog posts to tips on transitioning back to school. Parents need help organizing their children’s school activities and their homework (typically middle school students who have ADD). The…